What new things take place when we become Christians?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

When we believe in Christ for His gift of salvation, we become “a new creation.” The Bible says, “old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (5:17). What new things can we expect to take place in our lives when we get saved? The apostle Paul shares several new things that are given to new believers in Jesus:

– A NEW MOTIVATION. “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (5:15). Instead of living for themselves after Jesus gives them eternal life, new believers are to “live… for Him who died for them and rose again.” One way to do this is to live a “thank you” life for Christ. We can thank Him for the incredible sacrifice He made for our sins by living a Christ-centered life.

– A NEW MINDSET. “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh” (5:16a). Instead of looking at outward appearances (ex. ethnicity), achievements, and the affluence of lost people, we are to see them as Jesus sees them – as someone He loves and wants to save.

– A NEW MINISTRY. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… and has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (5:18-19). The moment we believe in Christ, He gives us the responsibility to preach the gospel of Christ to lost people so they may be reconciled to God the moment they believe in Jesus. Every Christian is given this ministry of reconciliation. It is not just for pastors and evangelists.

– A NEW IDENTITY. “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ” (5:20). An ambassador is a representative. In Manila of the Philippines, we have an American ambassador at the US embassy who represents the USA and the citizens of the USA in the Philippines. But as Christians, we represent Someone Who is more important and powerful than any political ambassador represents. We represent the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ! Therefore, there is no need to be afraid or ashamed to share His gospel which pleads with lost people to be reconciled to God through faith alone in Christ alone.

Comforted to Comfort

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The apostle Paul praises God the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” Our Father in heaven is merciful. He withholds the condemnation and punishment we deserve as sinners. And He is the “God of all comfort.” The Greek word for “comfort” (paraklesis) pictures a person standing alongside another to encourage and support him as a friend. God is not some impersonal deity out of touch with His people. He feels their pain and offers encouragement and support to ease their distress. “All” lasting comfort comes from God. He “comforts us in all our tribulation.” There is no pain or suffering beyond the sufficient comfort of God.

God’s comforting presence in our lives equips us “to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” God never wastes our experiences, no matter how painful they may be. He wants us to pass on the comfort we have received from Him in our affliction so we may comfort others in a similar situation.

For example, who better to comfort a parent whose young child died than someone who has recovered from such a tragic loss because of God’s comfort in their lives? Who better to comfort a war veteran struggling with post traumatic stress syndrome than another veteran who has been comforted and healed by God? Who better to comfort a victim of sexual abuse than someone who has recovered from sexual abuse because of God’s comforting ministry in his or her life? Who better to minister to someone who has filed for bankruptcy than someone who has recovered from a similar financial hardship? Who better to minister to someone struggling with severe depression than someone who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death with his or her Good Shepherd?

God does not waste our experiences. He uses them to equip us to minister more effectively to others. Have you ever stopped to think that the struggle you are going through right now may be used by God to comfort others with the comfort He is going to give to you? Nothing you and I face in this life is beyond our heavenly Father’s all-sufficient comfort and compassion.

If you have not received God’s comfort before, then you will not have much to offer to someone who has been devastated by life’s difficulties. Why not begin by looking to Jesus Christ for His “everlasting consolation” (2 Thessalonians 2:16)? God wants to remove the suffering of eternity for all humanity.

Two things cause eternal suffering: sin and consequences. Sin means we have disobeyed God’s laws (I John 3:4). In one way or another we have not been good enough. Sooner or later we are unkind, dishonest or immoral. The Bible says that there are no exceptions – “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Measured by God’s standard of perfection each of us has fallen short.

Secondly, God, being holy, cannot overlook any sin. The penalty for sin is physical and spiritual “death” (Romans 6:23) – eternal separation from God in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). The Bible tells us that all people must face God as their Judge – “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Whether we have sinned once or a thousand times, sin’s consequences are eternal.

The consequences of sin, eternal suffering, can be eliminated, not because of anything that we do but by accepting what God did for us on the cross. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s perfect Son, Jesus Christ, died in our place. God punished Him when He should have punished us. Three days later Jesus Christ arose; proving sin and death had been conquered and His claims to be God were true. The Bible explains Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4). The proof that Jesus rose from the dead was that He was seen alive after His death by over five hundred eyewitnesses (I Corinthians 15:5-8). God now had a basis for pardoning us instead of punishing us.

How then does one eliminate eternal suffering? The answer is to believe in Jesus. Jesus Himself declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).

The word “believe” means to trust or depend upon. Trusting in Jesus is a lot like riding on a jet plane. When my wife and I flew from Manila in the Philippines to Omaha, NE, this last July, we did not have to push our jet plane to get it off the runway. Nor did we have to flap our arms to keep it in the air. We simply had to trust a person, our pilot, to fly us to our destination through no effort of our own. In the same way, Jesus now invites you to trust in Him alone through no effort of your own, to save you from an eternity separated from God and to give you everlasting life. Our good works and religious efforts will not save us because they are all like “filthy garments” in the sight of a holy God (Isaiah 64:6). We must trust in Christ alone as our only way to heaven.  The moment we do, God extends eternal life as a gift and we are His forever.

A day is coming when all those who have trusted in Jesus alone for His gift of everlasting life will be with Him in heaven where there will be no more suffering. The Bible says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying…” (Revelation 21:4). Those who know Christ recognize that there is suffering in this life, but take comfort in God’s promise that one day all suffering will be over. Those people will not suffer eternally.

If you have never understood and believed this, why not trust in Jesus Christ alone right now as your only way to heaven? Here is how you could tell God in prayer what you are doing.

Dear God, I come to you now as a sinner. I know my sins deserve to be punished. But I now understand that Jesus Christ died for me. He took my punishment and rose again. I now place my trust in Christ alone as my only way to heaven. Thank You for the gift of eternal life I just received. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

When you believed in Jesus, the Bible says you can “know” you have eternal life. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (I John 5:13). Christ now lives inside you through His Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20) and He is concerned about every pain and tear. He encourages us to “cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). Sometimes He demonstrates His care by not removing our suffering but by comforting us in the midst of it. God will help us through whatever suffering we face, if we let Him.

How can I prepare to get a good night’s sleep?

“21b Keep sound wisdom and discretion… 23 then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 3:21b, 23-24

In 2017, Americans spent $69.5 billion in sleep aides (i.e. medicines, gadgets, etc.) and it is estimated that they will spend $101.9 billion in sleep aides by 2023. People want to have peace of mind at night when they go to bed, but it often seems to allude them.

God’s prescription for a good night’s sleep involves keeping “sound wisdom and discretion.” “Wisdom” is doing God’s will and “discretion” is knowing what is God’s will. Basically this refers to thinking and living God’s way. When you do, you will experience safety (“you will walk safely in your way”), stability (“your foot will not stumble”), and security (“when you lie down you will not be afraid”) in your life. When you think and live God’s way, He promises “you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.”

When we don’t know and do God’s will, we often lack a good night’s sleep because we are nagged by fear and doubt. This can quickly be reversed when we turn to the Lord for His wisdom since He “gives to all liberally and without reproach” (James 1:5).  

Many of us may spend a lot of time on our cell phones or other electronic devices before going to sleep. This can also inhibit your ability to get a good night’s sleep. The blue light emitted by cell phones (or laptops, tablets, etc.) can actually reduce the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep/wake cycle. Viewing your electronic device can actually stimulate your brain rather than calm it down, especially as you interact with others on social media or read some bad news that stresses you out.

May I make a suggestion? About thirty minutes before going to sleep, lay your cell phone aside and take some deep breaths. Then take about fifteen to twenty minutes to read your Bible, listening to God’s voice of truth to impart His wisdom to you. As you meditate upon His wisdom, He promises that “your sleep will be sweet.”

Seeing ourselves through God’s eyes

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” I Peter 2:9

In view of Israel’s rejection of Jesus Christ (2:7), the apostle Peter uses different figures to describe the church consisting of Jewish and Gentile believers (2:9). These descriptions provide a powerful description of how God views each of His children. Seeing ourselves through God’s eyes is essential for Christian growth and victory because we behave in the way we perceive ourselves to be (cf. Proverbs 23:7).

So often when someone asks us, “Who are you?” we respond by saying, “I am a teacher, a farmer, a doctor, a Hawkeye fan, a friend of…, a wife of…, a son of…, a guy who owns that fancy house or boat….” We define ourselves by what we do, possess, or by our associations with others. The problem with this is that all these people or things can change or be lost. But God wants us as Christians to see ourselves through His eyes which never changes. He has defined who we are in Christ in the Bible.

When you believed in Christ, you became a new person (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). You are now part of a royal family – God’s family – the church (cf. John 1:12). Learning what that means takes time. You have been seeing yourself through one set of eyes for so long, that it is hard for you to believe you are a child of the King. But God now says to you, “You are MY CHILD through Jesus and that makes you royalty.” God now says, “I not only want to be in a relationship with you, but I also want to change the way you see yourself; because if I can change the way you see yourself, you will live a radically transformed life.”

You are not the same person you were before you became a Christian. You may ask, “If I am not the same person I used to be, why do I still practice the same old ways and habits?” Because Satan has deceived you into believing you are the same person you were before you came to Christ. And we act in the way we perceive ourselves to be. The Bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).

Your behavior does not determine who you are. At the very core of your being you are God’s child and God wants you to learn to start acting in a way that is consistent with who you are. The more we see ourselves as God sees us, the more we will live in the way He created us to be and live. Let’s look at God’s view of us in I Peter 2:9:

– “You are a chosen generation.” God has “chosen” you , not overlooked or ignored you. To be chosen means that others want to be with us, to know us and spend time with us. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have been chosen by God to have a special relationship with Him. Before this world was even made, God chose you to have a special relationship with Him through Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesian 1:4). So many children grow up in homes where their parents tell them, “We never wanted you. You were an accident… a big surprise.” Child of God, your heavenly  Father has always wanted to be in a relationship with you. He chose you for a purpose. He wants you to “proclaim the praises of Him” (2:9). Look in a mirror and say to yourself, “I am chosen by God.” Are you seeing yourself as God sees you? The more you believe what God says about you, the more you will feel it and live it.

– You are “a royal priesthood.” You are “royal” – a person of high status and importance. You are extremely significant because you are a member of the royal priesthood of God. In the Old Testament, there was a separate class of priests who represented the people of Israel before God, but in the New Testament, all believers are priests before God who worship, intercede, and minister (I Peter 2:5; cf. Revelation 1:6). Say to yourself, “I am a royal priest before God.”

– You are part of “a holy nation.” Originally God wanted the nation of Israel to live distinctly “holy” lives before other nations to attract them to Himself (cf. Exodus 19:5-6; Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6; Isaiah 42:6). But Israel failed to be a Light to the nations because she preferred to be like those nations (cf. I Samuel 8:5), so now God wants His church to be His “holy nation” to go to all the world to preach His gospel to everyone (cf. Mark 16:15) as His ambassadors (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20). We are to “proclaim” His praises because He called us “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (I Peter 2:9). Say to yourself, “I am a holy ambassador for Christ.”

– You are “His own special people.” In Christ, we are “special” to the Lord. You are not a nobody. You are a somebody because God has declared you to be special to Him. You are greater than what is usual or common. You may not realize this, but God the Father loves you as much as He loves His own Son! Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father, “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:23). Long ago Jesus prayed for you to know that the heavenly Father loves you just as much as He loves His only perfect Son! Say to yourself, “I am special to God.” Listen to the voice of truth so you can begin to see yourself through God’s eyes.

God wants us to know that we are chosen, royal, holy, and special to Him. Each of these descriptions convey our infinite value and significance to God as His children. So if a believer in Jesus comes to me and says,  “I am an alcoholic … sex addict…drug addict…workaholic…manic depressive …gambling addict…homosexual, etc,” I would respond by saying, “No, you are a child of God who is struggling with alcohol…sexual addiction….drug addiction… workaholism …manic depression… gambling or homosexuality. But your behavior does not determine who you are. At the very core of your being you are God’s child and God wants you to learn to start acting in a way that is consistent with who you are. We learn to do this through discipleship relationships.”

What can we do with the angry thoughts we have toward those who have wounded us?

“In return for my love they are my accusers, but I give myself to prayer.” Psalm 109:4

In return for his love for them, a group of people caused great pain to King David by falsely accusing him (109:2-5, 20-25). Instead of seeking revenge, David sought the Lord in “prayer” (109:4b). The phrase “give myself to” in verse 4b is in italics which means this phrase is not in the original Hebrew language. So the verse literally reads, “but I am prayer.” David’s life was so filled with prayer he could say his life is prayer. When the apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21), David would probably have said, “For to me, to live is prayer.” We would say he lived, ate, and slept prayer. The centrality of prayer in his life reflected his great dependence upon the Lord.

David asked God to severely judge his accusers (109:6-29). He pleaded with God to return what his enemies were doing to him back on themselves. For example, He asked God to “set a wicked man” over his enemy to oppose and accuse him (109:6). He wanted God to judge him “guilty” and put him to death (109:7-8). He also prayed the Lord would punish his enemy’s “children” and “wife” for his evil doings (109:9-10) so that no one would remember him and so that he would have no descendants (109:11-15). The reason David prayed this way was because his enemy had practiced these things David asked God to do to him (109:16-20, 28-29). David was confident that God would save him from his enemies, so he promised to “greatly praise the Lord” (109:30-31).

Do you ever find yourself at a loss for words when you have been deeply hurt by those whom you have loved? You have these angry thoughts toward them, but you have been taught that anger is sin, so you stuff your feelings down or condemn yourself for having them? If that describes you, follow David’s example and express your anger to God in prayer. God already knows they are there, but He wants you to release them to Him, so He can heal you and work in your life and in the lives of those who have wronged you.

Harboring angry thoughts will hurt you more than your offenders. Instead of trying to get even, get honest with the Lord so He can lift your burdens and deal with those who have mistreated you. It is not wrong to pray for God to punish evil doers because He has promised to do so either in this life or in the future (cf. Acts 17:30-31; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 6:9-10; 16:4-6; 19:2, 11-21). But it is also important to pray for their salvation lest they perish without Christ (John 17:20; Romans 10:1; I Timothy 2:1-7).

How can we treat believers better who differ with us about Christian liberty?

“4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” Romans 15:4-5

In Romans 14, the apostle Paul admonished the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome to accept and love one another despite their differences concerning their Christian liberty. Beginning in chapter 15, he tells the stronger Christian whose faith permits him to eat all foods and observe every day the same, to “bear with the scruples” or weaknesses of believers whose faith did not permit him to exercise his Christian liberty to the same extent (15:1). Instead of pleasing himself, he was to put the welfare of others before himself like Jesus did (15:2-3a). Paul then quotes King David whose commitment to building up the physical house of God is to be displayed by Christians in their commitment to building up God’s spiritual house (15:3b; cf. Psalm 69:9). 

Notice that when Paul seeks to motivate his readers to treat one another better, he does not refer to some seminar or some promo on Facebook. He refers to the Bible in verse 3 when he quotes King David (cf. Psalm 69:9). By referring to the Old Testament, Paul was showing that Christians can receive from the Bible the instruction (“learning”), perseverance (“patience”),“comfort,” and “hope” they need to bear with one another despite their differences regarding their Christian liberty (15:4). But he does not stop there. 

The reason the Bible can give us everything we need to bear with one another in the family of God is because of the Person behind the Bible: “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus” (15:5). Knowing the Bible is not enough to treat one another better. We must know the Author of the Bible if we are going to treat one another better (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). The more we know God who is love, the more loving we will become toward one another (cf. I John 4:7-8). 

Do you have teenage girls? They must be very careful with internet chat rooms. Teenage girls can fall in love with evil men on the internet because the words they read have a person behind them. As she hangs out with this man on the internet for days and weeks, he eventually says,“Can we meet at the park this Saturday at five o’clock?” She has been trained all these years not to hang out with strangers, yet now she goes to meet this stranger. Why? Because she has fallen in love with someone she has never seen. The reason she has fallen in love with someone she has never seen is because of the power of the written word. Why? Because behind that written word is a real person. If an evil man can take the words of a computer and transform a teenage girl so that she will go meet him in private at a park somewhere and risk her life because she has been overwhelmed with the word, then how much more can the God of the Bible overwhelm us with His written Word so that we change from what we might normally do because we have been overwhelmed with a love relationship with Someone we have never seen.

Do not underestimate what the God of the Bible can do in our lives when we sit down to hear His voice as we read and apply the Bible to our lives. Spending time with Him in His Word can transform us so that we treat other believers better who may differ with us concerning Christian liberty. 

How are Christians to respond to those who differ with them about their Christian liberty?

“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.” Romans 14:1

The apostle Paul is writing to Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome who had differing views about how God’s will was to be practiced with regard to nonessential issues (“doubtful things”) such as food, drink, and observing certain “religious” days. Jewish Christians wanted Gentile Christians to observe their Jewish customs and Gentile Christians wanted the Jews to practice their customs. These practices are not wrong in and of themselves. Examples today may include food, drink, recreation, clothing, personal grooming, birth control, schooling, holiday observances, etc., when no sin is involved.  Paul instructs believers to do the following:

1. They are to “receive” or accept one another even though they differ about what their Christian liberty permits them to do because God “receives” them in Christ (14:1-5a). For example, the stronger Christian whose faith permits him to eat all foods and observe every day the same, was not to “despise” or condemn the Christian whose faith did not permit him to exercise his Christian liberty to the same extent. Nor is the “weaker” Christian, who does not believe he has the liberty to eat all foods or view all days the same, to “judge” his more liberal Christian brother because “God has received him” (14:2-3). 

2. They are not to “judge” one another for these differing practices …

a. Because they can observe them “to the Lord” for His approval (14:5b-8). In Paul’s day, Jewish Christians observed the Sabbath and Jewish feast-days while Gentile believers did not. Paul says it does not matter what days you think are sacred, what matters is that you seek to please the Lord.

b. Because only Jesus Christ is qualified to judge them, and He will at “the judgment seat of Christ” (14:9-12; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10).  

Why is singing a new song to the Lord important?

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.” Psalm 96:1

The Psalmist instructs all the earth to “sing to the Lord a new song” (96:1a) because the Lord has revealed new blessings which are “the good news of His salvation from day to day” (96:2). “All peoples” need to hear this good news about God’s “glory” and “wonders” in creation which show that He is greater than all the lifeless “idols” that people tend to worship (96:3-5). All peoples of the earth are to “give to the Lord the glory due His name” because “He is coming to judge the earth… with righteousness” which will provide “salvation” (96:2) or deliverance from His enemies (96:7-13). The Lord Jesus Christ will fulfill these verses when He returns to earth with His church at the end of the Tribulation period to reign over all the earth during His Millennial Kingdom (cf. Revelation 19:7-20:6). 

I was captivated this morning by the command to sing “a new song” to the Lord. Several times God commands us to “sing a new song” to Him (Psalm 33:3; 96:1; 98:1; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10). As God reveals new blessings to His people, they are to respond by singing a new song which praises God for those blessings. Failure to sing a new song when God is doing something new in our lives is disobedience and can lead to a loss of joy and admiration for the Lord in our worship.

But when God’s people obey the Lord and write and/or sing new songs to the Lord which reflect the new manifestations of His grace toward us, He will reveal more of Himself to us (cf. John 14:21). Also, there will be an increase in our praise to Him and “many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord” (cf. Psalm 40:3). Being sensitive to the new manifestations of God’s grace to us in our songs to Him will increase our “fear” or admiration of Him and lead us to “trust” in Him more in our daily lives, and it can also lead the unsaved to “trust in the Lord” Jesus as their Savior. Hopefully, no Christian wants to hinder unsaved people from coming to faith in Christ because of a music style preference.

Contrary to what many Christians think, music style is not sacred to the Lord, but the words (lyrics) are sacred to Him. God enjoys all music styles (old, new, fast, slow, loud, soft, etc.) because He created them and He loves diversity (cf. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)! Just because we do not like all music styles does not mean God does not like them all. What matters most to God is not the music style, but that the songs we sing are offered up to Him “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). 

All of us have our music preferences, but as we look back at history in the Old and New Testaments (cf. Exodus 15:1-17; Psalm 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9; 14:3) and in the Church Age, songs changed as the Lord revealed Himself and His workings in new and different ways. Singing a new song to the Lord enables us to experience and express the new manifestations of His grace in our lives in more meaningful ways. 

As I look back at my Christian life the last forty years, some of the most intimate times of worship with the Lord were when I learned a new song which expressed the new things He was doing in my life. I especially enjoyed it when the worship leader in our local church would write and/or lead us in a new song that reflected the new manifestations of God’s grace in and through our local church. Praise Jesus for those who capture the new things He is doing in the songs they write and/or sing! 

When is the last time you sang a new song to the Lord? Take time today to draw near to Him by singing a new song to Him that expresses something new that He is doing in your life. To find a new song, you can use google and search for “New Christian Songs.” Since God continues to create new and refreshing songs for His Church, you should have no trouble finding one to enhance your worship of Him. One of my favorites right now is “Raise a Hallelujah.”

How does God’s mercy impact our ministry?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

In view of the great “mercies of God” in the first eleven chapters of Romans…

– Deliverance from sin’s penalty through faith in Christ’s death 1:1-5:10a).

– Deliverance from sin’s power through faith in Christ’s life (5:10b-8:39).

– Deliverance of Israel from God’s wrath through faith in Christ’s death and life (9:1-11:36). 

…the apostle Paul challenges his readers to live a life of surrender (“present your bodies a living sacrifice”) to God (12:1) by being “transformed” from the inside out “by the renewing of” their minds through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit (12:2a; 8:9-11; 15:4) so they may please God by doing His “will” (12:2b). This spiritual transformation will enable them to serve God through the loving use of their spiritual gifts in the body of Christ (12:3-21). 

God’s mercy does not minimize service. God’s mercy maximizes service! When we understand and experience the depths of God’s mercy toward us, we will want to surrender our entires lives to Him as a way of saying, “Thank You, Lord, for being so merciful to me when You saved me from sin’s penalty the moment I believed in Your Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1-5:10a; cf. Titus 3:5-7). Thank You for showing mercy to me when You gave me Your Holy Spirit Who raised You from the dead to empower me to be saved from the power of sin in my Christian life (Romans 6:1-8:39). Even though I do not understand Your wisdom and ways (Romans 9:1-11:36), I do want to surrender my entire being to You for Your use and glory (12:1). I no longer want to be conformed to this wicked world, but I want You to transform me into the likeness of Your Son as I learn to yield to the Holy Spirit and to the holy Scriptures (12:2). Use me in any way You choose to lovingly build up Your church for Your glory (12:3-21).” 

Can eternal life be given back to God or taken away by Him?

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29

In Romans 9-11, Paul is addressing the need of Jews to be delivered from God’s present-day wrath through justification and sanctification. Paul talks about God’s sovereign use of Israel in the past and His temporary setting aside of Israel in the present due to her rejection of His righteousness through faith in the Messiah (9:1-10:4). God chose the nation of Israel to service and blessings for the purpose of sharing those blessings with others. But since they failed (10:5- 11:10), God saw fit to elect another group called the Church (composed largely of Gentiles) to accomplish this task (11:11-25). Fortunately for Israel, because God is gracious He will again return to them and fulfill His promises to them (11:23-32).

The reason Paul is confident that God will return to Israel and fulfill His promises to them is because “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (11:29;cf. 9:4-5). God will not withdraw His promises from Israel because those promises are irreversible (“irrevocable”). The Lord did not choose Israel for her goodness, and He will not abandon her because of her sinfulness. 

Likewise, God promises eternal life as a free gift to all who believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). Since “the gifts … of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29) and eternal life is a “gift of God” (Romans 6:23), then eternal life is “irrevocable.” When a person believes in Christ for His gift of eternal life, it cannot be given back to Godnor taken back by Godno matter how the believer lives because it is irreversible or permanent (John 3:16; 6:35-40; 10:28-29; 11:25-27; Romans 8:31-39; et al.). God did not save us from hell because of our goodness (cf. Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7), and He will not abandon us because of our sinfulness (cf. John 6:37; Hebrews 13:5).

This can be especially difficult for people to believe if they have experienced rejection by a parent. For example, imagine an adopted child being returned to his orphanage because his adoptive parent says he is too difficult or sinful to raise. That adopted child may conclude that God will do the same to him if he does not live up to God’s expectations. I have met many Christians who think that God’s love is like the love of their parents. If they do not measure up to God’s standards, then He will take eternal life away from them. 

The truth is God’s love is not conditional or temporary like the love of people. God’s love is unconditional and eternal through Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 6:23b; 8:38-39). God accepts us permanently as His children the moment we believe in His Son Who died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead (cf. John 1:12; I Corinthians 15:3-6; Ephesians 1:6). God guarantees to keep us as His children and never let go of us no matter how troublesome or sinful we may be after we are placed in His family (John 6:37; 10:28-29)! This should lead believers to praise God for the depths of His wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33-36)!!!